Chris Sturdyvin of Chris' Water Gardens is currently in Central Michigan to work with the one and only, Incredible Dr. Pol!
This project is another great adventure for The Pond Squad and the Certified Aquascape Contractors. They will tackle a multi-acre pond that's in desperate need of some attention. The Pol's beautiful handcrafted log home overlooks this scenic pond and surrounding forest but like most man-made ponds, and even natural ponds, the eutrophication process eventually sets in. This process is the byproduct of excessive nutrients accumulating in the pond.
Years of silt and sediments washing into the pond along with countless tons of organic matter from the surrounding forest have taken it's toll on this aquatic ecosystem. The effects are dramatic as the excess nutrients cause algae blooms that will create a shift in the ecosystem. Water chemistry is altered along with a decrease in dissolved oxygen and an increase in water temperature, the combination of which will alter the microorganisms and fish populations. THIS IS WHERE WE COME IN! This process can be stopped with a systematic step-by-step program.
We'll focus on three main areas: First is the creation of a skimming cover or intake bay; we'll utilize the existing contours of the pond to create a skimmer but it'll need to be reconfigured and cleaned for it to function properly. The installation of several pump vaults along with Aquablox will create the perfect mechanical filter to draw in floating debris from the surface of the pond. Capturing and removing this debris is critical for reversing the eutrophication process.
The second stage begins by discharging the water from the pump into the bottom of a large Upflow Wetland Filtration System. The Aquascape patented Wetland Filter is specifically designed to slow the incoming water velocity down while spreading it out evenly throughout the filter bed allowing for optimum contact time with the filter media and the associated microorganisms.
The final stage is to increase the dissolved oxygen and circulation of the water within the pond. The outfall of the wetland filter will be a dramatic waterfall that will naturally aerate the water as it tumbles over large locally found field stones. The circulation will be supercharged with a series of jets strategically located in the pond pushing all of the water back to our mechanical filter to start the cycle all over again.
This is without a doubt a large and challenging project but the information and techniques used can be applied to any scale water feature. Stay tuned for regular updates, pictures and videos!
This project is another great adventure for The Pond Squad and the Certified Aquascape Contractors. They will tackle a multi-acre pond that's in desperate need of some attention. The Pol's beautiful handcrafted log home overlooks this scenic pond and surrounding forest but like most man-made ponds, and even natural ponds, the eutrophication process eventually sets in. This process is the byproduct of excessive nutrients accumulating in the pond.
Years of silt and sediments washing into the pond along with countless tons of organic matter from the surrounding forest have taken it's toll on this aquatic ecosystem. The effects are dramatic as the excess nutrients cause algae blooms that will create a shift in the ecosystem. Water chemistry is altered along with a decrease in dissolved oxygen and an increase in water temperature, the combination of which will alter the microorganisms and fish populations. THIS IS WHERE WE COME IN! This process can be stopped with a systematic step-by-step program.
We'll focus on three main areas: First is the creation of a skimming cover or intake bay; we'll utilize the existing contours of the pond to create a skimmer but it'll need to be reconfigured and cleaned for it to function properly. The installation of several pump vaults along with Aquablox will create the perfect mechanical filter to draw in floating debris from the surface of the pond. Capturing and removing this debris is critical for reversing the eutrophication process.
The second stage begins by discharging the water from the pump into the bottom of a large Upflow Wetland Filtration System. The Aquascape patented Wetland Filter is specifically designed to slow the incoming water velocity down while spreading it out evenly throughout the filter bed allowing for optimum contact time with the filter media and the associated microorganisms.
The final stage is to increase the dissolved oxygen and circulation of the water within the pond. The outfall of the wetland filter will be a dramatic waterfall that will naturally aerate the water as it tumbles over large locally found field stones. The circulation will be supercharged with a series of jets strategically located in the pond pushing all of the water back to our mechanical filter to start the cycle all over again.
This is without a doubt a large and challenging project but the information and techniques used can be applied to any scale water feature. Stay tuned for regular updates, pictures and videos!
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
The large lake we will be improving soon...
The man himself....the Incredible Dr. Pol
The Incredible Chris
